Did you ever dream that you were a dog agility super champ except then it switched and you were at some germy, grungy, derelict seaside park in the dark and the carnies were actually drug addled zombies that were shambling after you with hammers and their big teeth? And then as you're trying to escape your way out from under their oily, horrible claws by clambering up a rat infested palm tree, you're all, this is about dog agility like, how?

15 June 2007

Greg Derrett hand, Susan Garrett skort.

I drove up Mt. Madonna road, not to the cabin, since that would be more of a weekend day long journey, but to the property just up the road, $834,900 for the 5 acres and a modular. It is a fairly nice modular, and the property is awesome, up on the hill. But let's be realistic. That is a big amount of money for what is still just a very fancy mobile home on 5 acres of fields. And this one is way far out of Gary's driving range, although it is 3 minutes from my barn. Would be a great horse property with just adding a mere additional $250,000 in improvements to it like fencing, grading, arena and barn. What a deal.

I am fat and the dogs are hyper and untrained andgetting fat, too. Otterpop was already leaping around the house from furniture to furniture at top speed at 7am this morning. It's like having a little wind up bat leaping around as background noise while you drink coffee. And literally my pants do not fit. If it's not one thing with me, it's another. I am pretty sure that complaining is not positive thinking and will not get me into my size 6 pants and will not get the dogs winning their divisions and will not buy me a ranch but my back hurts! So back or no back we will run a little while on the beach this morning.

Another agility-less weekend. They are having a Greg Derrett seminar at Power Paws, but it was too pricey for me and likely will be too hot. While just attending that wouldn't get me winning without practicing, I would have likely learned better skills and more cool things to teach the agility students. But there are just too many bills piling up in other places, just the audit fee was $75.

Greg Derrett is the British god of front crossing agility. He makes videos with his perfect border collies and marriend a beautiful American agility competitor who is also named Laura. Bringing up the outside hand/shoulder as a mini RFP to indicate taking the inside, not outside obstacle, is known (at least by me) as Greg Derrett hand. I probably use closest to his handling style than anything else because he is very popular in the Bay Area and the teachers around here all subscribe to him, as well as Susan Garrett, who is Canadian and not related but also a big huge deal and they are good friends, Derrett and Garret.

I did take a Susan Garrett seminar and I actually learned a lot, more about general training of dogs than anything exactly agility related. I also learned I am a very different type of person than her and am very ok with that. I also learned if I had skinnier legs I want to wear a little tennis outfit for agility. I also always wanted Ruby to place higher than her dog, DeCaff in the 16" and we never did, and now Ruby is a 12" dog and we won't have a chance again til DeCaff moves down to 12" someday if she gets old and decrepid like Ruby did. I think I even wrote that down as a goal at one point. Kick DeCaff's ass in Grand Prix.

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Laura Hartwick, Captain

Many people around Santa Cruz know Laura as the lady with all those little black dogs. Many people know her as a horse trainer. Many people know her as the artist with the small brushes. Many people know her as that hoity graphic designer.
None of them would be wrong.
All the dogs of Team Small Dog, righteously awesome.
Laura Hartwick is usually a nice person. Except when she isn't. Be nice, don't bite, and run faster.